The silence makes the back of her neck prickle; this can't be a normal phone call. She's already reached over and turned off the stove when that heavy breath gets sucked in. As those shaky words come out, she's already striding out of the kitchen.

"What's at the temple?" Is he hurt? Have monsters from outside found their way into the city? Have the tensions among the natives suddenly heated up to a roaring boil? What would they do to a clear innocent like Shinji? "I'm coming right now!"